Implement holding device



1, 1959 H. w. LONGFELLOW 2,893,657

IMPLEMENT HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 24, 1955 INVENTOR. HAROLD W LONGFELLOW A TTORNE Y United States Patent IMPLEMENT HOLDING DEVICE Harold W. Longfellow, Akron, Ohio, assignor to Han-D- Hook, Inc., Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 24, 1955, Serial No. 483,724

'5 Claims. (Cl. 24-249) This invention relates to an implement holding device of the type utilized for supporting tools of various kinds by handles thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide an implement holding device of the character described having a selectively reversible handle gripping element, which is adjustable to support implements of such varying character as to have substantially varying centers of gravity effecting firm gripping action of the gripping element.

Another object of the invention is to provide an implement holder of the character described which is of such simple form that it can be made of relatively few parts,

as by simple metal stamping methods, and which involves.

little or no labor costs for assembling the parts of the device.

Other objects of theinvention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings:

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an implement holding rack embodying the features of the invention, the same being shown supporting implements thereon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the holding rack, showing one handle gripping element in an inoperative position thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged end view of the device, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1..

Figure 4 is a similarly enlarged cross-section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure ,5 is a view similar to Figure 4, partly broken away and in section, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a cross-section of a modified form of the gripping element as best shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawings generally, the numeral 10 designates atool holding rack, including series of handle gripping elements 11 removably and reversibly mounted on hook-like tangs 12, 12 of a backing member 13.

The backing member 13 may be a fiat rectangular plate of suitable sheet metal, punched out by known stamping methods to provide forwardly outstanding tangs 12, 12 each having a horizontally extending bottom portion 14 and an upwardly and inwardly arched upper portion 15 which terminates in spaced relation to the forward face of the plate. Four such tangs 12 are shown, although it is understood that one or more may be provided. The backing plate 13 maybe attached to a wall or other vertical surface of a structure, such as a garage or tool house, as by means of screws received through keyhole slots 16.

Each gripping element 11 may comprise a flat gripping plate 17 of rigid sheet metal, having a short rearward extension 18 at an acute angle to the plane of the gripping portion (60 degrees being shown), said extension terminating in a straight edge 19. The extension 18 is apertured at 20 to receive a said hook-like tang 12 from the free end of the latter. Gripping plate 11 has a relatively 2,898,657 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 ICE '14 of the tang, either as shown in Figure 3 or in Figure 4.

In use of the improved bracket 10, mounted on a wall as described, a tool 24 or is easily supported thereon by insertion of the handle of the tool in the opening 21 of one of the gripping elements 11, from-the open side of the opening. The weight of the tool causes the handle to be wedged between the spaced edge portions 22 and 23 of element 11 while the latter is suspended from the point of pivotal engagement of extension 18 with the bottom portion 14 of hook or tang 12. Gripping element 11 may be used in either of the inverted positions shown in Figures 3 and 4, according to the requirements for most effective support ofa particular tool.

The device is particularly convenient as for shipping or storage purposes, because the gripping elements may be removed and compactly packed with the backing plate in a relatively small container or carton.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figure 5 is substantially as described above, except that gripping plate 17 is upturned at the outer edge thereof in direction from the plane of the plate oppositely to the extension 18, as indicated at 17a. This positions the uppermost corner edge 23a of the plate for more efiiective to element 11, but wherein the hook-part 26 is coated with rubber or, like elastic material 28, including the gripping edges 29 and 30, whereby the device will be better suited for gripping handles or objects which are made of metal, for example. V

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is :claimedis:

1. An implement holding device, comprising a supporting member for attachment to a vertical supporting structure, and having a generally vertical outer face, said member having thereon a relatively thin tang including a bottom portion extending outwardly of said outer face and a front portion upturned from said bottom portion, a gripping element including a gripping portion having a thin extension generally at an angle to the plane thereof and terminating in an exposed edge, said extension having therein a laterally elongated aperture through which said tang is loosely but substantially non-rotatably received, ,theportion of said extension between said exposed edge thereof and the inner edge defined by said aperture being narrower than the space between said front portion of the tang and said vertical outer face of the member atleast adjacent said bottom portion, whereby said gripping element is adapted to be supported on said member by downward pivotal engagement of said exposed edge with said bottom portion of the tang, said gripping portion having an opening therein for receiving an elongated part of a said implement, said opening presenting oppositely disposed gripping edges in outwardly spaced alignment with respect to said tang and adapted wedgingly to grip said elongated part and thereby support the implement suspended in balanced equilibrium of the same and said gripping element from the point of said pivotal engagement with said bottom portion of the tang.

2. An implement holding device, comprising a supporting member for attachment to a vertical supporting structure, and having a generally vertical outer face, said memher having thereon a relati-vely thin tang including a bottom portion extending outwardly of said outer face and a front portion upturned from said bottom portion, a grip,- ing elementincluding a gripping portion having a thin extension generallyat an angle to the plane thereofand terminating in an exposed edge, said extension having therein a laterally elongated aperture through which said tang is loosely but substantially non-rotatably received, the portion of said extension between said exposed edge thereof and the inner edge defined by said aperture being narrower than the space between said front portion of the tang and said vertical outer face of the member at least adjacent said bottom portion, whereby said gripping element is adapted to besupported on said member by downward pivotal engagement of said inner edge with said bottom portion of the tang, said gripping portion having an opening therein for receiving an elongated part of a said implement, said opening presenting oppositely disposed gripping edges in outwardly spaced alignment with respect to said tang and adapted wedgingly to grip said elongated part and thereby support the implement suspended in balanced equilibrium of the same and said gripping element from the point of said pivotal engagement with said bottom portion of the tang.

t 3 An implement holding device, comprising a supporting member for attachment to a vertical supporting structure, and having a generally vertical outer face, said memher having thereon a relatively thin tang including a bottorn portion extending outwardly of said outer face and a vfront portion upturned from said bottom portion, a griping element including a gripping portion having a thin extension generally at an angle to the plane thereof and terminating in an exposed edge, said extension having therein a laterally elongated aperture through which said tang is loosely but substantially non-rotatably received, the portion of said extension between said exposed edge thereof and the inner edge defined by saidv aperture being narrower than the space between said front portion of the tang andsaid vertical outer face of the member at least adjacent said bottom portion, whereby said gripping element is adapted to be selectively reversibly supported on said member by downward pivotal engagement of one or other of said exposed edge or said inner edge with said bottom portion of the tang, said gripping portion having an opening therein for receiving an elongated part of a said implement, said opening presenting oppositely disposed gripping edges in outwardly spaced alignment with respect to said tang and adapted wedgingly to grip said elongated part and thereby support the implement suspended in balanced equilibrium of the same and said gripping element from the selected point of said pivotal engagement with said bottom portion of the tang.

4. An implement holding device, comprising a supporting member for attachment to a vertical supporting structure, and having a generally vertical outer face, said member having thereon arelatively thin tang including a bottom portion extending outwardly of said outer face and a front portion upturned from said bottom portion, a griping element including a gripping portion having a thin extension generally at an angle to the plane thereof and terminating in anexposed edge, said extensionhaving therein a laterally elongated aperture through which said tang is loosely but substantially non-rotatably received, the portion of said extension between said exposed edge thereof and the inner edge defined by said aperture being narrower than the space between said front portion of the tang and said vertical outer face of the member at least adjacent said bottom portion, whereby said gripping element is adapted to be selectively reversibly supported on said member by downward pivotal engagement of one or other of said exposed edge or said inner edge with said bottom portion of the tang, said gripping portion having an opening therein for receiving an elongated part of a said implement, said opening presenting oppositely disposed gripping edges in outwardly spaced alignment with respect to said tang and adapted wedgingly to grip said elongated part and thereby support the implement suspended in balanced equilibrium of the same and said gripping element from the selected point of said pivotal engagement with said bottom portion of the tang, said opening inthe gripping portion extending from one lateral side edge thereof for removable reception of said elongated, part toward said gripping edges. V

5. An implement holding device, comprising a supporting member for attachment to a verticalsupporting structure, and having a generally vertical outer face, said member having thereon a relatively thin tang including a bottom portion extending outwardly of said outer face and a front portion upturned from said bottom portion, a griping element including a gripping portion having a thin extension generally at an angle to the plane thereof arid terminating in an exposed edge, said extension having therein a laterally elongated aperture through which said tang loosely but substantially non-rotatably received, the portion of said extension between said exposed edge thereof and the inner edge defined by said aperture being narrower than the space between said front portion of the tang and said vertical outer face of the member at least adjacent said bottom portion, whereby said gripping element is adapted to be selectively reversibly supported on said member by downward pivotal engagement of one or other of said exposed edge or said inner edge with said bottom portion of the tang, said gripping portion having an opening therein for receiving an elongated part of a said implement, said opening presenting oppositely disposed gripping edges in outwardly spaced alignment with respect to said tang and adapted wedgingly to grip said elongated part and thereby support the implement suspended in balanced equilibrium of the same and saidgripp ing element from the selected point of said pivotal engagement with said bottom portion of the tang, said opening in the gripping portion extending from one lateral side edge thereof for removable reception of said elongated part toward said gripping edges, said gripping edges having thereon resilient non-slip means. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 765,046 Shee et al -1 July 12, 1904 798,488 Barrett Aug. 29, 1905 1,509,722 Fenstermaker Sept. 23, 1924 1,606,487 Wamsley Nov. 9, 1926 2,348,902 Hart May 16, 1944 2,422,891 Dickson June 24, 1947 

